Announcement: Franka Potente Escapes from Tibet

July 25, 2008

by Monika Bartyzel
Cinematical
July 23, 2008

It was a bummer to learn that Franka Potente was backing out of Pope
Joan back in May, but it looks like she's found herself another
weighty gig to add to her plate. Variety reports that she has signed
on to star in a new German drama called "Flucht aus Tibet," otherwise
known as Escape from Tibet. The film, which is based on a true story,
will be the big-screen debut for writer and director Maria Blumencron.

Heading out of Che Guevara territory, Potente is moving over to Tibet
to play Judy Cronenberg. The woman was a press photographer who led
"a group of refugee Tibetan children over the Himalayas to safety
nine years ago." There's nothing more being said about the story,
which seems to be surprisingly free from the Internet (anyone know
the details?), but it is a big German project. The film has received
FFF Bayern's largest film funding -- $1.1 million.

It should be a little bit of time before we get to see Tibet, but in
the meantime, of course, we can watch her play Tania in Steven
Soderbergh's The Argentine and Guerilla.

The film -- produced by True Vision Productions and directed by BAFTA
award-winner Jezza -- Neumann explores the hidden reality of life in
Tibet under Chinese occupation. Tibetan exile Tash returns to his
homeland and spends three months filming undercover to discover
evidence of mistreatment by the Chinese.

Patrick Roberts, the VP of international sales at C4i, said: "This is
a truly remarkable film from a production company and team who are
world-renowned for making exceptional human-rights-related
documentaries. It provides a rare inside view on a situation which
has received huge press attention, and we are confident that
audiences throughout the world will find it compelling viewing."